BEAUMONT — Longtime patrons of Monterey House Mexican Restaurant on 11th Street in Beaumont waited in long lines to enjoy one final meal.
The owners announced this week that they were closing the restaurant on December 31 after 62 years.
So many customers showed up Monday and Tuesday that the restaurant ran out of food.
Bobby Beaver, whose grandparents owned Monterey House, posted a statement on Facebook Tuesday evening.
“My grandparents would like to thank everyone who came out over the last two days for one final meal. Hearing everyone’s stories of what the Monterey House meant to them has really shown how special a place it was. A place that my grandparents spent their lives creating. Because of the overwhelming outpouring of support over the last two days, Monterey House ran out of food,” Beaver said.
“Unfortunately, they will not be able to open tomorrow. One final time, thank you for the last 62 years,” Beaver wrote.
The Beaumont location opened in 1963 as a franchise run by Bob and Pris LeJeune.
Monterey House quickly grew into one of Beaumont’s most enduring Tex-Mex dining spots.
Over the years, its warm, casual atmosphere and classic menu items — from queso and taco salads to fajitas and Mexican pizzas — made it a regular stop for families, friends, and visitors alike.
Longtime patrons will recall the days of the legendary Mexican candy buried in the basket of chips.
According to a 1983 report by KTRK-TV in Houston that aired when the Monterey House chain celebrated its 30th anniversary, the restaurant had 75 locations in three states at that point.
Monterey House traces its roots back to the mid-20th century, when Mexican-style dining was gaining popularity across Texas.
The broader Monterey House restaurant concept was connected to a Mexican-themed chain that originated in Houston in 1955, operating under the Monterey’s/Mexican House name and expanding throughout the state and into neighboring regions over the following decades.
By the 1960s, the concept had inspired numerous independently owned and branded restaurants across Texas, including the Beaumont location that would become a beloved local institution.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Monterey House-style restaurants were fixtures in many Texas communities, known not only for their food but also for nostalgic touches like those complimentary Mexican milk candy, or leche quemada, tucked into chip baskets — a tradition remembered fondly by many longtime patrons including in Beaumont.
Nationally, the broader Monterey brand experienced ups and downs.
By 1984 it had grown to those 75 locations in three states, but later faced financial struggles, including a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1986 and subsequent changes in ownership.
Many of these restaurants were rebranded into concepts like Monterey’s Tex-Mex Cafe or Monterey’s Little Mexico throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Monterey House in Beaumont was the last of the original eateries still open.
Dining and Cooking